Great example of why it is important to always play as though the result is not preordained. The QD is a very good play and would be found, I assume, by most very good players. But only if East stops to consider that his discard on the second trump might matter to the outcome.
Cheers,
Jeff
Iain ClimieMarch 12th, 2026 at 11:05 am
HI Jeff, Folks,
It is easy to construct a hand where South has DJx and just one heart when West going in with the DA would be a mistake, although not today. I suppose EW could lament their failure to save in 5H or 5D here if they’re going to let 4S make although good defence to 5H might stop West getting the Ds going for a club discard. The advice not to save (at IMPs or Rubber anyway) may hold here as the 4S should go off.
Regards,
Iain
Iain ClimieMarch 12th, 2026 at 11:15 am
On the subject of saves, though, I held x 10xxx J10xxx Q9x or similar at game all the other week and heard 1S on my left 2H from pard 2S on my right so I bashed 4H (he’s probably got 6, although actually had 5 good ones this time but I bid to the likely level of the fit). LHO bid 4S inevitably and partner with HAK and SKJ10 hit it expecting me to have a trick and for 2S and a H. Declarer was 6-0-2-5 with a huge hand (he might have considered slamming – I’d have bid 5H over 4H) and had no trouble making +1 – pard got 2 trump tricks. He felt 3H or even 5H might have been sensible rather than 4H although 5H doubles costs 800. Cheaper than 990 though.
Jeff SerandosMarch 12th, 2026 at 4:17 pm
Hi Iain,
I guess it all depends on how you view 4H. I think I would have taken 3H as a competitive bid with four hearts, but some defense and a halfway decent hand and seen 4H as a please-please-please don’t expect me to have a lot, just hoping against hope to discourage the opps type of bid which is what I think you intended. OTOH, they might have just bid 5S over a 5H save anyway. With the hand you described and an encouraging partner, I sure would have
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Great example of why it is important to always play as though the result is not preordained. The QD is a very good play and would be found, I assume, by most very good players. But only if East stops to consider that his discard on the second trump might matter to the outcome.
Cheers,
Jeff
HI Jeff, Folks,
It is easy to construct a hand where South has DJx and just one heart when West going in with the DA would be a mistake, although not today. I suppose EW could lament their failure to save in 5H or 5D here if they’re going to let 4S make although good defence to 5H might stop West getting the Ds going for a club discard. The advice not to save (at IMPs or Rubber anyway) may hold here as the 4S should go off.
Regards,
Iain
On the subject of saves, though, I held x 10xxx J10xxx Q9x or similar at game all the other week and heard 1S on my left 2H from pard 2S on my right so I bashed 4H (he’s probably got 6, although actually had 5 good ones this time but I bid to the likely level of the fit). LHO bid 4S inevitably and partner with HAK and SKJ10 hit it expecting me to have a trick and for 2S and a H. Declarer was 6-0-2-5 with a huge hand (he might have considered slamming – I’d have bid 5H over 4H) and had no trouble making +1 – pard got 2 trump tricks. He felt 3H or even 5H might have been sensible rather than 4H although 5H doubles costs 800. Cheaper than 990 though.
Hi Iain,
I guess it all depends on how you view 4H. I think I would have taken 3H as a competitive bid with four hearts, but some defense and a halfway decent hand and seen 4H as a please-please-please don’t expect me to have a lot, just hoping against hope to discourage the opps type of bid which is what I think you intended. OTOH, they might have just bid 5S over a 5H save anyway. With the hand you described and an encouraging partner, I sure would have